This book was "fine" - I felt like the story brought in all these fun elements, and then left them out of the main story! Between Elvis reenactments, reptiles, and con-woman-ing it was just too all over the place in terms of fun plot additions. The ending, however, was great and brought in some quirky fun.

Kelly is always fun and rom com and those are two things I love! Don’t Go Stealing My Heart was just that! I really enjoyed this book! The storyline was fun and made it for a quick read!

This book had such a fun sounding synopsis that I actually bumped it up my list as I've been in the mood for happy reads. Unfortunately I didn't really connect with the main character Clementine. I don't know if it was because of her job (a thief!) or just because she wasn't all that interesting but I spent much of the first half of the book debating whether to DNF or just keep going. The book did get better toward the end when Jack featured more but that's probably the only positive I got.

Failed to connect with the heroine. Was expecting a lovable anti-heroine but found her too 'sterile', for lack of a better word, in her mindset and POV and it just didn't make for an engaging read for me nor did it endear her to me so I would want to know what happened to her

Initial thoughts:
I’ve been in a “light hearted rom-com” mood lately, and was intrigued by Clementine’s Robin Hood-like-cat-burglar back story. This was my first Kelly Siskind book, and I was not disappointed.

What I loved:
Clementine’s outlook on what she does, and how she lives her life, had me rooting for her, criminal or not. Her interactions with the townspeople while scoping out her latest mark were witty and surprisingly genuine, considering why she was there. Jack is about as upstanding and charming as a leading man can get, and I was smitten from the start. Both of our leads have interesting quirks that drew me in, along with personal issues that gave them depth and relatability. They seem to just “fit”, despite the fact that they’re each hiding something big from the other. They’re both trying to juggle what’s “right” with what they feel they “have to do”.

The balance between the lighthearted, sweet, romance-y bits, and the less lighthearted, dark, uncomfortable bits was delicate, but the story managed to fall on the right side of that line each time. There were a few plot devices used that I really don’t care for — but instead of them becoming part of my “What I didn’t love” section of this review, the author addressed each instance quickly, and with the kind of finesse that actually turned them completely around for me. I was pleasantly surprised, and pretty impressed.

In the end, they just make sense together. They are sweet, and they “get” each other. They grow and learn from each other, and they make me smile.

What I didn’t love:
Both of our main characters have struggled and suffered in their pasts, affecting how they behave in this story. Of course those details are important, but I didn’t love how often those circumstances were repeated. It felt like the author was reminding me of something, but didn’t give me enough time to forget it between mentions.

As much as I liked Clementine and Jack together, it’s hard to overlook that the entire book took place in less than two weeks, and they both had to overcome HUGE trust issues to make their connection. The story didn’t feel rushed, but it did require a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. I guess this makes it half “what I loved” and half “what I didn’t love”, lol.

I also didn’t love the surprise “reveal” at the end. I saw it coming just before it happened, and I was SO hoping I was wrong. I wasn’t, and I’m bitter on behalf of the characters.

Final thoughts:
Overall, this was a fantastic introduction to this author, and a nice way to spend an afternoon. You’ll laugh a lot, you’ll swoon just a bit, and if you’re like me, you’ll grumble some at the end. (Well, not the *end* end, because our author graciously supplied us with an epilogue that totally made me smile.) And if you’re like me, I think you’ll find that you “Can’t Help Falling In Love” with Clementine and Jack.

I’m excited to check out some of Kelly Siskind’s other stories, and encourage you to join me.

Ahhh I love love LOVED New Orleans Rush so I was SO excited for this one. I remember wondering how on earth Kelly Siskind could make me love a magician, but she did, so I had no doubt she would make me love a thief and an Elvis tribute artist… this one did take a bit longer for me to click with the characters, but I eventually did. It was super adorable and sweet and lovely. I did guess the twist pretty early on, my heart went out to the heroine. I did really like it and thought it was super cute. Didn’t love it as much as New Orleans Rush, but it was still adorable and I’d recommend it. I can’t wait for more from this author!

This book had the kind of humour I haven't read lately and that was incredibly refreshing. It was also fun to read about a character with a "career choice" a bit different from most contemporary romances. I look forward to checking out other books by this author if they are all as unique as this one!

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I think I'll be eternally grateful to her for it because I loved this book so much! It was the perfect escapist read with tons of heart and also a ton of fascinating facts about art (especially Van Gogh).

Don't Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind

Heart Warming Puts a smile on your face kind of Romance

This is my first book by Kelly Siskind and I must say I am very impressed! This author has a way of making you fall for her characters and root for them every step of the way. I can't wait to see what else this talanted author has to offer. I am totally 100% team Clementine/Jack. Those two characters are sweethearts. I finished this book with a total crush on Jack :)

5/5 Stars

Thank you #NetGalley and #CDBooms for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher, CD Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

The very first thing I would like to confess: I was slumping straight into another century while I read this book and despite that I’ve given it a high rating and that ought to count for something. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into Don’t Go Stealing My Heart and I was so low in the slumps I just wanted everyone to leave me alone to stew in my sadness. (When was my last post anyway?)

However, the connection between Jack and Clementine is truly truly what I enjoyed the most about DGSMH. Not only do they share a strange connection that comes as a surprise even to them, but it’s as if their pasts too were reflective of who they had to become in the future to be good for one another. They both have difficult and heart-wrenching childhoods and I loved the contrast that Kelly Siskind has depicted that their challenges were both because of, and at the same time irrelevant to, their social standing; these challenges also decided the directions in life they would both take and how they are lead to one another because of this and what happens to their relationship.

I have to commend the last twenty percent of the book, because truly it had distracted me from realising something that was in the back of my mind and it was a great moment to spring a surprise. The familial relationships, the friendships, are all shown and grown beautifully and at the same time, the grey depictions of the protagonists add to the real-ness of their situations and how they come to terms with their mistakes and one another’s as well. I also absolutely loved how it seemed like the author had picked up the reader’s pulse (from when she was writing in the past) and knew exactly when it was perfectly appropriate to handle the one thing that was starting to get a little exhaustive for me, simply because I really wanted to see it being handled now rather than later like every other book out there with a similar concept.

Due to the morally grey choices of the characters in many of the moments, there are some very interesting questions that the author poses–without actually asking them–to the reader that has us thinking.

Despite the slump and all the seven hundred and fifty million things that decide to take place while I was reading this book, I’m hovering greatly between a 4 and a 4.5 rating and I would definitely recommend the read! Happy reading and be safe! ❤

Jack and Clementine are adorable! I love their relationship and how they deal with all things life throws at them. I loved New Orleans Rush too and will probably read everything this author writes! This was a cute, real life romance with a strong independent heroine!

***I want to thank Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review***

OMG!! This book hits every mark. Clementine is the perfect modern day Robin Hood. She Is a thief and con who does it all for the benefit of others. She knows the struggles of being an orphan and that comes through in her actions. In the books she goes to see the other side of her actions.

Jack is a very sweet hero which helps to bring out the other side of Clementine. This was definitely a slowburn, but they were funny and cute. I give this book foir stars!

-C

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I had first read the blurb of this book, I got really...really excited because what's better than the heroine conning the hero and stealing from him right before his eyes.

Clementine Abernathy is the modern day Robin Hood; She steals from the rich&privileged and gives to the poor....in her case orphan children who had been thrust into the American Foster System(where they are abused or treated miserly). She herself holds a bitter view for the foster care system as she had seen the ugliness of the system firsthand. Eventually at the age of 14 she was rescued by Lucien, her mentor and a father figure. But, soon stealing and conning starts to weigh heavy on her and she was usually left with residual guilt over her job. Her next job is to steal an unsigned Van Gogh from David Maxwell of a Elvis loving town-Whichway(I loved this name and all the iconic places are named in this manner-eg, Wherever Park, Whatnot Diner). A chance encounter with a stranger named Jack on the road leaves her baffled at the strong attraction she felt for him, what she didn't discover until later that the stranger was not anyone but her mark-David Maxwell III or how he likes to call himself Jack. The budding yet strong attraction each feels for other has hinders both their plans- hers to steal the Van Gogh and his to win the Annual Elvi Festival's competition, keep his father's sickness a secret and save his company from bankruptcy.

Truth be told, I was almost about to abandon this book in the first quarter as it was really slow paced without any action and thrill that one gets to be hooked up on a book. But, I made myself read it till the end just so I could give a better review and to be honest I didn't expect this, but almost after the first half I actually wanted to complete it. During it I witnessed the undeniable chemistry between the two and Kelly has done a great deal of work to show it throughout the next half.

This book is a dual POV written in the third person which provides us insights of both the character's life issues, which makes it much more readable, and a perfect plus point, along with Jack being an Elvis Tribute Artist which somehow adds to the appeal(even though I haven't ever heard any songs by Elvis Presley but I think I will do check it him out). Though at some points I had truly wished that there was just about something else other than Elvis....Elvis....Elvis.

Having had psychology as a subject in high school, I could actually relate with Clementine's deep-rooted fears of abandonment, guilt and trust issues and they are beautifully portrayed in the book, but what I couldn't just grasp was how Jack (who himself has had some issues) was too much intuitive and could read Clementine-who had conned a great deal of people- every freaking time she lied or felt uncomfortable. I mean, I myself am a great romantic at heart and is always up for some gushy mushy romance where the lead always understands the troubled and secretive heroine but I don't think it's even slightly valid in this situation and Jack being able to tell all this is stretching this concept a bit too far for a contemporary romance!

Some points in this book led up to an amazing yet somewhat predictable ending though I wouldn't say it was bad, the whole book was slightly alright! Yet, I wouldn't recommend everyone to read it, though Elvis's fans are quite welcome for it because they'd definitely like it better.

This was a cute book but a lot more graphic than I expected or wanted. I only read till the 50% mark.
It is all about romance and focuses on the main couple's reactions to each other. If you are used to or go in with that requirement you will like this more than I did.
Since I did not read it completely I can't rate it on social media but would recommend it to people who like love stories with a lot of descriptions.

A promising blurb, a great beginning with a sweet meet-cute. Clementine has a job to do and meeting the charming Jack would definitely ruin her plans.
What should be an easy job turned on something more complicated. All her assumptions threw out the window when she met her mark, definitely not the egotistical and spoiled man he was supposed to be. I really appreciated the beginning of the story and the banter between these two but didn’t really feel the connection yet.
So I kept reading to see how the author would lead us.
And somehow I lost interest or maybe a bit confused. Too much details, so many things going on… I couldn’t focus.

Clementine is a thief aka woman Robin Hood who steals from rich people and give back to the poor . She was a good thief until she met Jack lol

Jack as Elvis impersonator hahha damn I don't want to imagine that. Me imagining Jack as a hot and handsome guy but when I tried to imagine him wearing Elvis clothes and everything goshh ewwww no!! Creepy af


Thank you Netgalley for Don't Go Stealing My Heart ARC!

🌟🌟🌟.5

I had such a fun time reading this book. It was original and very fast paced, I really flew through it. The two main character where both very likeable, and I liked that we get to see both their point of views. There where also some great twists in the story. I will definitely will read other books by Kelly Siskind in the future!

Can I just say I love the whole female Robin Hood part? Like totally badass.

She’s a thief, a lizard (okay, bearded dragons) and car lover. She knows what she wants and how to get it. But one thing she didn’t expect? Him.

Jack is this totally sweet, kind of awkward hero who loves his family, has no clue about cars, is very smart and caring and is also an Elvis fan.

At first, the blurb reminded me of one of Christina Dodd’s book. But only the female stealing from a rich guy part, everything else is completely different of course.

She’s helping the children by stealing priceless art but staying in this small town playing a role will present a whole new set of problems for her. And every day staying in Jack’s orbit will mean a new way to fall in love with him.

Did I forget to mention they may have more in common than we think?

Because they do. But you can’t play the role forever. And what will happen once Jack found out? Or when past collides with present?

Find out in this charming, entertaining new novel by Kelly Siskind. My first read by this author, I liked it very much even though I don’t know a lot of Elvis songs. I recommend it to all of you who need something warm and easy to read and especially to Elvis’s fans.

I really did not know what to expect with this story and I'm so glad I was able to get my hands on it. For something that was a bit of a blind pick, Don't Go Stealing My Heart was a lovely surprise of fun mixed with a whole lot of compassion. These characters are by no means perfect, but the communication throughout the entire story is thrilling for me. I love a good romance where the characters are mature enough to confront their problems instead of getting to an almost irreversible position. It wastes no time in bringing you to love the characters you meet. Jack and Clementine meet and everything immediately begins to click for them. They sense their chemistry, they sense what could happen... but with hesitation, they part ways until the time is right.

Kelly Siskind delivers a wonderfully written story of two people trying to figure things out and that's the vaguest I can be in a review but I truly encourage anyone to just pick this up and read without thinking anything more. I feel like it just makes it that much more enjoyable.

This was absolutely ridiculous and very predictable but unbelievably fun and SO delightful.

I can't wait to read more quirky stories from this author.